NYFW Preview: Billy Reid Spring/Summer 2014

On the Tuesday before his spring/summer 2014 show, across the street and up a flight of stairs from his Bond Street store in Manhattan, designer Billy Reid is preparing. Considering that Reid is only three days away from his presenting his collection, he and his team seem surprisingly unhurried. "Where did we start," he wonders aloud — mostly to himself — in his southern drawl.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"Well, we always have a lot of things floating around," he says, amid the organized mess of particle boards tacked with model headshots and racks of clothing. "We really wanted to go with a lot of texture, so we developed a lot of the textiles with these sort of hand-loomed techniques and jacquards. What we tried to do is take modern patterns and develop them into less structured fabrics."

Next season, expect the brand to offer up something looser and more casual, while still maintaining that folksy gentleman vibe that's become Reid's signature. "The idea started when I moved from Louisiana to California — the shock of that. I was working in this traditional men's clothing store and I took my closet to Los Angeles. So, it's trying to blend those things together," Reid explains. Read on to see more of what we can expect from the designer's spring/summer collection, which debuts tonight.

"What we stried to do is take modern patterns and develop them into less structured fabrics," says Reid. This included taking digital prints and turning them into jacquards for a sense of depth.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"We were using a palette that felt West Coast. We were thinking about how to tell that story in today's world."

"This is actually a floral pattern that we colored to look like camouflage. We're calling it camellia. The idea is that even though it's floral we're bringing in a utilitarian element.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"We're mixing harder-edged things with softer things. And also bringing in some textiles that are used for home furnishings. We definitely relaxed the shape — there are a lot of jackets that have more of a shirt shoulder. Some of the boxier silhouettes have gotten a little longer. Not too long, but shirts in particular we played around with. Almost like tunics. We like that idea, that beach element and mixing them with the tailored elements."

"We're doing the K-Swiss collaboration again. Each season we do something new, and now we're using our own shoe leathers and implementing that."